WASHINGTON/BRUSSELS - The White House on Tuesday announced the decision to impose new sanctions on Iran with measures including punishing the Islamic Republic's missile and drone program.
"In the coming days, the United States will impose new sanctions targeting Iran, including its missile and drone program as well as new sanctions against entities supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran's Defense Ministry," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.
The announcement came after Iran carried out a massive military operation against Israel on Saturday, in which hundreds of missiles and drones were launched.
Tehran said the attack was a response to the Israeli strike on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital city of Damascus on April 1, which killed seven Iranians, including two veteran commanders.
Sullivan's announcement followed a similar one made earlier in the day by US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, who didn't elaborate much on the detail at a press conference ahead of the unveiling of this year's Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank.
"I fully expect that we will take additional sanctions action against Iran in the coming days," Yellen told reporters.
US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen said she will not preview specific sanctions measures at this point in time, adding that the sanctions will be imposed in coordination with US allies
She said she will not preview specific sanctions measures at this point in time, adding that the sanctions will be imposed in coordination with US allies.
On Sunday, a senior Biden administration official said at a press call that part of the discussion among the Group of Seven leaders during a video-conference that day touched upon "a coordinated effort on some sanctions measures" against Iran.
The official added without elaboration that the leaders also explored ways to overcome "some hurdles" that are still in existence with regard to the G7's policy on Iran.
Despite the Washington's harsh condemnation of Iran's attack against Israel, local media reports suggest that the US government only resorts to diplomatic and economic tools in response, out of fear that any use of force might lead to the conflict in the Middle East escalating to a degree where it becomes uncontrollable.
Also on Tuesday, Josep Borrell, EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, said the EU will start work on expanding its sanctions against Iran as some member states made such proposals.
"I will send to the External Action Service the request to start the necessary work related to the sanctions," Borrell said at a press meeting after an emergency video conference of EU foreign ministers on the Middle East situation.
He also called for de-escalation in the region, urging all actors to show restraint.
